A Forgotten Betrothal
by LadyRini478
Summary: Once betrothed to the great Lord Sesshomaru as a child, Kaori escaped her life as the bound daughter of a strong and cruel daiyoukai. Hidden away with her adopted human family, she has lived the last 12 years running from place to place, forever fearing their discovery. Fate soon thrusts them together, and their destinies are forever changed as adventure and tribulation ensues!
1. Chapter 1

A Forgotten Bethrothal

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Hello everyone! It's been YEARS since I've posted on – I've been so busy with real life and my own original novels that I haven't had the time to indulge in writing a fanfiction. Hopefully my writing style has improved since my last fanfic, but we'll see. Enjoy! ^_^

* * *

Kaori stood over his wide frame, her hands clasped together in worry. Despite his aching bones, Haru was still a man of great resilience and pride. This human, whom she had chosen to acknowledge as her father, was stronger in heart and far more honorable than any yokai she'd ever encountered. Aged by worry and the inability to settle, time had roughly taken hold of Haru's ability to fight the smallest of illness. Racked with a cough that he could not shake, Kaori offered to stay up through the night to tend to his needs, so that her mother could sleep.

Leaning against a stack of old rolled up quilts, Haru glanced up to see Kaori handing him a bowl of warm tea from the tray beside her.

"I went to see the miko in the village yesterday, she recommended these herbs for you…" she said, helping him press the bowl to his cracked and dry lips. Haru swallowed slowly, but managed to drink most of what she prepared. Shaking his head, Kaori sat the bowl to her side.

"You know better than that. I'm not worth the risks Kaori. How many times do we have to discuss this?"

"As many times as we need to, I'm not changing my mind."

"Why do you wish to worry me?! Your mother and I have done everything to ensure that –"

Kaori jerked her hand into the air. "…there is no need for us to argue. You know that I'm more than grateful for everything that you have done, but we cannot continue to live this way. _You_ can't continue to live this way. A human's body can only take so much before it breaks…"

Haru sighed and leaned back, he couldn't think of a response that wouldn't involve stretching the truth. After all, he _was_ still sickly, even after almost a month of rest. Kaori realized his defeat and pressed further.

"Aiko is going to gather some of the crops into baskets this morning. I think that the yams are finally ready, and of course the radishes have been prepared. I think we have enough potatoes and beans to sell in town, and I skinned a boar last night –"

"_You_ skinned a wild boar? And I slept through that?!" Haru asked, his eyes wide. Kaori laughed, her golden eyes full of happiness.

"Yes, and I did quite well too. Not as good as you of course, but clean enough to sell. With those goods, we should be able to get a lot of the things we need for the winter. We need more rice, Aiko needs new clothes, Mother needs better shoes and you…you need more herbs for that cough."

"Well I'm so glad that you've taken care of all that, my dear daughter, but you're going to have to wait until I can go into town. Tell Aiko to hold off gathering the crops, we can just eat the boar you caught."

Kaori rose from the floor, her eyebrows raised and her nostrils flared.

"No, this is ridiculous! You know that mother cannot even step foot into town and you have no business moving about. Let me take care of this, I can help you."

"And if you're recognized?" he asked, his eyes fixated on her ears. Kaori protectively covered them with her hands.

"To the untrained eye they just look a little pointy; besides, you know I'll wear my hair down. It's not like I'm hiding a furry tail anywhere."

Haru chuckled. "Now that _would_ be difficult to explain, wouldn't it?"

"I think the necklace has staved off the worst signs of it…" She replied, gently patting the crystal hidden underneath the cloth of her shirt.

"We were lucky to have gotten those; they've saved us all, at least for now."

"That's right, so don't worry. I'lll get Motoshi to pull the cart into town, he seems restless to get out anyway. You barely let the poor creature out to graze."

"He's an ox, not an emperor. Just _please_ be careful, and don't talk to anyone you don't need to. Those rules go for Aiko too, if you can manage to leash that curious tongue of hers."

"Oh she'll behave, she's good for me." Kaori winked and walked outside, leaving Haru to sit with his thoughts.

* * *

Aiko sat in the middle of an old wooden cart, her faded dress soiled by the dried mud around her. Gathering the vegetables into baskets, she brushed off her tiny hands when she saw Kaori come out of the house. She knew her sister would be proud of her hard work.

"Kaori! How is Father? Is he feeling better this morning?"

"A little, he was able to drink some of that medicated tea that Kagome gave us yesterday. It wasn't even bitter tasting."

"Good, is he taking us into town?" she asked, her voice eager with anticipation.

"No, I am."

"You?"

"Yes, me. Father is still too weak to go into the village, he needs to rest. Mother cannot go, so it's just me and you today kiddo."

Aiko smiled and opened the shed door to Motoshi's pen. After helping Kaori lead him out to the cart, she watched her older sister harness the beast in place.

"You've been a great help getting everything ready for me this morning. We have a boar for sale that's going to bring us a lot of coin. If you stay close to me while we're in town, maybe I'll be able to get you that doll you wanted."

"Like the one Rin has?" Aiko asked the question before she thought about the consequences. Placing her hand over her mouth, her blue eyes stared at Kaori, waiting.

"Rin? You've only met her a few times. When have you seen her belongings? Aiko!" Kaori threw down the harness and climbed into the front seat of the cart, where Aiko sat with her head lowered.

"You've been sneaking into town, haven't you?"

Aiko's bottom lip trembled, but she did not cry. It was guilt that plagued her the most. "I just wanted someone to talk to. She's a nice girl. She promised not to tell anyone else about me."

Kaori sighed and leaned back against the seat. Aiko had never known a normal life, and Kaori felt partially responsible for that. Placing one hand on her shoulder, Kaori lifted her little sister's face to meet her own.

"Don't be upset Aiko, I'm not mad. But you need to understand, we can't make friends with other people. Maybe one day, but not right now. I expect you to stay home from now on, unless you're with me. If Father knew what you've done he'd never let you from his sight."

"I know…"

Kaori kissed the top of Aiko's forehead lightly, her nose nuzzling the girl's light brown hair.

"Now, let's go. The day's wasting away."

* * *

That's it for chapter one guys! Hope you enjoyed it, I look forward to reading your comments as always!


	2. Chapter 2

A Forgotten Betrothal – Chapter 2

The rickety cart whined and groaned as Kaori and Aiko traveled down the rough dirt road that led to the main village nearby. They had been living in their current home for a little under a year, and were unsure whether to pick up again and move or whether to stay put for a change. Aiko had never known what it was like to live in one house for many years – they were always running, always fearing that the peace they felt one day would be destroyed the next.

Aiko was unaware, assuming that the constant movement was only natural, and that everyone else did the same. But their parents were getting older, their bodies adapting less and less to the rigorous lifestyle of hiding and praying for safety. Kaori could see the wrinkles on their skin and hear the creaking in their joints. Many times, especially when moving from one place to the other, they were without roof or warmth, often relying on a stranger's kindness to fill their stomachs until the next nesting place was found. This could not go on, not anymore. Kaori knew this, and it brought a tumultuous wave of both fear and relief in her heart. Aiko watched her sister mindlessly steer Motoshi towards the village, which now appeared to be small moving dots in the distance.

"Sister, are you unwell?"  
"Oh no, just tired. You forgot I was up all night watching over Father," Kaori said, smiling as brightly as she could. Aiko leaned her head against Kaori's shoulder, her warmth a welcome comfort.  
"I will help Mother cook when we get back home. You should take a nap before dinner; we might be in the village a while, especially if the buyers were as slow as they were last time."

Kaori nodded in agreement and gave her sister a quick kiss on the forehead. "Your heart overflows with far more kindness than most, my little troublemaker."

Aiko glowed at her sister's words and relished in her praise. Never had Aiko known a moment of fear, despite the precariousness that had surrounded her entire life. Kaori would spare her life to ensure that it remained that way.

* * *

Soon enough they pulled into the village and a group of children ran past them, chasing each other in the late morning sunlight. Soon enough a farmer came up to them, his interest in the large boar apparent. It wasn't more than a few minutes before it was sold, and a large handful of coin rested in Kaori's pocket.

Setting up near the center of town, the rest of the morning would progress slowly, as many of the villagers had their own stock of vegetables and needed no more from a stranger they didn't know or trust. The occasional passerby would arrive and buy a few items, or try to barter. In the end, Kaori ended up with just a few more pieces of coin and two baby chickens that someone traded for a small basket of yams. By late afternoon, Kaori accepted that she was unlikely to receive any more customers and began to put the goods back into the cart. But before leaving town, she had a payment to address. Stopping her cart by the home of the miko she had seen a few days prior, she instructed Aiko to stay put with Motoshi.

"Now I mean this, do _not_ move from that spot until I return. Or else I'm going to convince father to eat those chickens instead of letting them live for eggs."

Aiko's eyes widened and she leaned over the seat into the back of the cart, her hands protectively covering the small wooden cage.

"_Hana, Fumi don't listen to her, she doesn't mean it."_ Aiko whispered, her eyes cutting a glare in Kaori's direction.

"Don't think naming them will make me change my mind if you disobey. Don't make me come running around this place after you," Kaori said, picking up a small basket of yams and potatoes. Leaving behind Aiko to comfort her chickens, Kaori walked to door and knocked softly. She heard voices stir within the house.

"If it's Miroku tell him to go eat his own wife's cooking! He can't come begging for food here every time Sango cooks something terrible!" It was a man's voice, booming and loud.

"Inuyasha, _hush_! You'd feel awful if he heard that, you're so rude!" Now that voice she recognized; it was the young miko, Kagome.

The door swiftly opened to a woman's smiling face; behind her at their table was a curious looking man with…dog ears? Was he a…demon? Or a malformed human?

"It's so nice to see you again! You're the young woman who purchased the herbs from me the other day, right? Kaori, that's your name right? How is your father, is he doing better? Here, come inside!" Kagome gently pulled on Kaori's arm, leading her inside their home and shutting the door. The man with dog ears and golden peered at her curiously. Kaori instinctively wanted to withdraw from his inquisitive staring.

"Yes, you were so kind to give them to me without payment, so I wanted to bring this to you for repayment. My father has seemed to improve, but I believe he needs another dose. Would this basket suffice for both, or would you like some more of our wares?"

Kagome looked at the basket graciously. "There is no need to give me this, you're still new here, you need time to establish yourself. Here, let me grab another package for you."

The young man scoffed. "So this is how we end up with no food or money all the time, you keep giving this stuff away to every teary eyed sickling who comes along," he said with his arms sitting behind his head casually.

"SIT BOY!"

With those magical words, the arrogant creature that Kaori encountered was suddenly shoved to the ground beneath him, his face seemingly implanted to the floor. Kaori couldn't believe what had occurred, her mouth hung open in shock. Kagome cleared her throat and turned back to Kaori.

"I apologize for my husband's rudeness, he forgets himself sometimes. He really doesn't mean it. We'd be happy to take this basket as a gift, but here…"

Kagome reached out and placed two packs of herbs into her hand.

"…I want you to take these and use them. You owe me nothing else, don't worry about that. And if your father doesn't improve, or needs anything else, please let me know. I'll do everything I can."

Kaori bowed graciously. "Thank you so much for your kindness, I truly appreciate it."

Stepping back towards the door, Kaori watched Inuysha flinch as he attempted to move from his grounded position. He had to have been a demon of some sort, but what demon could be controlled by the words of a mere human? With the crystal blocking her sense of smell and most of her daiyoukai capabilities, it was difficult for Kaori to identify most people by scent or even detect nearby danger.

Upon returning to the cart, Kaori found Aiko in same spot that she had left her; however, she had her head turned and was speaking to another young girl. This girl was perhaps a year or two older than her, with a kind face and warm eyes. Kaori finally recognized her as Rin.

"I see you stayed put. Looks like we won't be having chicken for dinner after all."

Aiko turned to her and stuck her tongue out playfully. "Nope, Rin found me here while you were inside, I didn't have to run off anywhere." Kaori walked around to Aiko's side of the cart nodded her head towards the young girl.

"Nice to see you again Rin. I'm sorry we can't stay longer and visit, but our parents are expecting us to return home to help prepare dinner."

Rin nodded and smiled, her manners and dress impeccable for just a village girl. "That's okay, Lord Sesshomaru has come to visit me, so I should probably be heading back now before Jaken starts complaining of my absence."

Kaori dropped the packs of herbs she held in her hand, her heart and mind frozen. _Lord Sesshomaru_?!

"Rin, did you say that correctly? Are you speaking of the son of the Great Dog Demon?"

She gently smiled. "Of course! He comes to visit me all the time, usually bringing gifts. Would you like to meet him? He doesn't usually like humans, but since Aiko is my friend-"

"No, no, no, no, that's okay! We must be going." Kaori scrambled to pick up the herbs from the ground. Placing them into her pocket securely, she hopped into her seat and grabbed Motoshi's reigns. Turning around one last time in her seat to make sure that the rest of the load was secure, Kaori managed to locked eyes with a figure standing in the distance. Although far away, she could tell that the elaborately dressed man was walking towards them, his expression blank, but not entirely disinterested. Kaori recognized with a deep amount of grievance who the figure was, and without a second more of hesitation, she snapped Motoshi's reigns and drove the cart away. Aiko looked to her sister, entirely perplexed as to what was frightening her so.

"Sister, what is-"

"Quiet Aiko, don't say anything until we're home. Understood?"

The young girl leaned on the back of the wooden seat, her right hand hidden in her pocket, covering a most coveted gift.


	3. Chapter 3

A Forgotten Betrothal – Chapter Three

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Just wanted to give thanks for all of the kind reviews that this story has received so far, it means a lot you guys! ^_^

I apologize for there being a huge gap between this chapter and the last, my job has had us on mandatory overtime, plus I run my own online shop, so the Christmas season has been very busy! I would like to have chapters out quite frequently, at least weekly, so fingers crossed.

Now on to the story! :D

* * *

Without pausing to explain her rigid stance, Kaori guided Motoshi from the cart and released him back into his pen. Aiko watched her sister wordlessly put away the excess goods, never stopping to provide reasoning for her silence.

"Here, take these to Mother. She can brew this into some tea for Father for supper," Kaori instructed, placing the cloth packet into Aiko's small hands. The young girl raised her eyebrows in suspicion.

"You're mad…but why? I stayed at the cart…"

"I'm not upset; you forget I haven't slept in nearly a day. Now go ahead and take that package to Mother. Don't forget to put your new chickens in the old cage we used for the rooster."

Aiko bowed her head and obeyed. When the child was out of sight, Kaori leaned her back against the shed wall and covered her mouth with one hand, her cries just a breath away from being heard. Tears rolled from her golden eyes, mingling with the dust on her skin.

A thousand thoughts travelled through her mind…did Lord Sesshomaru recognize her? If he did, what would he do? And _why_ would be bother to visit a human child in a small village of no acclaim? It was completely unusual, and so entirely unexpected, to see him walking among humans as if he didn't want to lop their heads from their shoulders. She could recall his piercing, uncaring eyes on the day of their betrothal, when she was just a small child caught in the clutches of a political game.

Allowing her worry and sadness to pour into her hands, Kaori wiped back the rest of her tears before stepping outside. If the end was near, she refused to meet it with her eyes cast to the ground. After all, wasn't this the ending she always expected?

* * *

Walking back into their small home, Kaori smelled the cooking yams and meat and allowed her mouth to water with anticipation. Her father, still confined to his bed in the corner of the room, did look more alert than usual. Her mother Anzu sat by his side, brushing his dark hair tenderly and braiding it before his meal.

Kaori sat on the floor on a small mat, where a low table had been arranged so that Haru and the family could eat together, despite his condition. As they ate she listened to Aiko excitedly tell their parents about their day, the people they had met, and the goods they had sold. Anzu, as always, was animated as she heard her child carry on, while a look of reservation lingered on her father's face. The same worries that plagued his mind now engulfed Kaori, except now, she felt they had merit.

"I'm so proud of my daughters, aren't they wonderful Haru? They've done so well for us, as helpless as we are!" Anzu giggled, yet Haru only nodded.

It's true; they were both disabled in some form or another. While their father's bones were aged beyond his years, their mother was well in body but disfigured by malice. A traitor's scar had been burned into the flesh of her upper cheekbone; it had been placed there as punishment for attempting to run away from a life of servitude and imprisonment. Kaori, though young at the time, clearly remembered the day that Anzu was dragged into the palace compound by a bevy of heavily armed soldiers. Hours later her screams were heard as her skin was disfigured, forever condemning her from outside life. Most villages and towns would not sell their goods to those with the traitor's mark, and some would even kill them, assuming there were bounties to be collected for their heads. Needless to say, it was out of the question for their mother to appear in town, and when they traveled they did so discreetly.

These memories ran through her mind, and although hungry, Kaori continued to pick at her meal. She sat there, not speaking and simply moving her food from one side of the bowl to the other.

"Sister, you should eat. It is so good!"

"Yes my dear, why do you look so pale? Is my daughter unwell?"

Kaori looked up and sat her bowl down. "I don't feel too well. Please, someone eat my portion so it doesn't go to waste. I think I'm going to sleep early, if that's okay."

"Of course, go comb the knots from your hair and I will fill a tub for you. It'll feel better to go to sleep clean rather than gritty with dirt."

"Thank you Mother. Good night Father, I promise to be rested for the morning, should you need me for anything."

Haru waved his hand in the air. "Don't worry my child; you've done more than enough today. Go bathe, and let that dirty rascal jump in the tub behind you once you're done. She's leaving dust trails wherever she walks."

Kaori nodded and walked into the adjoining room where she and Aiko slept. Their house was small and only had two separated rooms within the entire dwelling. Since Kaori was already a young woman and Aiko was soon approaching this time, Haru felt it was best for them to use the tiny room for sleeping, bathing and dressing. While she removed the knots from her dark red hair, Anzu filled the wooden tub that was in the corner of the room with buckets of hot water she had warmed over the fire.

Finally, Kaori delved into the soothing liquid, her senses picking up small hints of scented oils. Standing behind her, Anzu began to rub a cleansing wash into Kaori's hair; it was Anzu's own special mixture of animal fat, wood ashes and river clay, a combination she had been taught when she was a slave in the house of Kaori's blood parents.

"Oh Mama, I could wash it myself, you must be tired."

"No, no. You rest and let me worry with it. Besides, this reminds me of when you were just a little girl. You were so frightened the first time I scrubbed your hair, you thought it would fall out if I washed it!"

Kaori laughed. "Oh I remember! Before you tossed me into the tub you'd spent nearly a whole day trying to comb the knots from my head! What an unruly child I was."

"Not unruly; you were like a weeded garden that needed to be tended, a lost flower forgotten in the sun."

Kaori smiled and allowed the warmth to fill the void in her chest. After finishing with her hair, Anzu left her alone to finish bathing. Since winter would be approaching in the next few months, Kaori knew that tub baths would be rare, so she relished every moment her skin spent soaking in the scented water.

Once Kaori was finished, the next hour was spent watching Anzu fight with Aiko to get into the tub. After much hair pulling and cries of protest, Aiko was finally clean. Afterwards, Anzu placed a kiss upon each of their foreheads before retiring to go to sleep. Alone with just the moonlight guiding their forms, Aiko and Kaori slid underneath the old, worn covers of their sleeping mat. Securely cuddled in Kaori's arms, Aiko slept with the peacefulness only a child could enjoy. It had been that way ever since the day Aiko had been weaned from Anzu's breast; not a night had gone by since where Kaori was not at her side.

It was here, deep within the stillness of the dark, that she felt his presence come upon her like a swift blanket of snow, cold and stinging. The crystal which hung around her neck eliminated her blood borne ability to hear his soft footsteps outside and detect his elaborate, regal scent. Despite this, she _knew_.

Carefully Kaori rose from their bed, her arms untangling themselves from Aiko's grasp. The young girl groaned for a moment, her body unsure of the sudden loss of warmth, but she did not wake. Trembling as she stood, Kaori adjusted her eyes to the blackness around her. Softly, she walked from her room and past her sleeping parents. Though her father owned no sword, he did keep a hunting knife at hand, which she grabbed with haste, even though she knew it would prove no threat to the great demon.

Grabbing the door and opening it without a sound, Kaori stepped out into the moonlit expanse. The wind was kind and gentle, and even Motoshi looked content in his pen. With her bare feet firmly planted in the cool dirt, Kaori walked forward, past the still crops and the aged barn. She stopped right at the edge of their small plot of land, right where the plowed fields delved into the darkness of the woods. It was here that he stood, his golden eyes shining in the blackness that enveloped them.

"Lady Hoshiko…I see that you're not dead."

His voice, so commanding yet flat with indifference, still rang fear throughout her spine, causing her skin to bristle with fright. "You're correct, Lord Sesshomaru. But you must know that I no longer recognize that name."

He squinted at her, studying her form. "I cannot detect your scent. I suppose that's how you've avoided your father and his men." He stepped forward, placing his fingers on the small crystal which hung around her throat. Kaori swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around the handle of the blade.

"I realize that I broke our arrangement by leaving, but I ask…I _beg _that you please keep my location to yourself."

Sesshomaru, still holding onto the crystal, bored into her gaze. "I have no interest in that, Lady Hoshiko. But this does answer my initial curiosities…" Flatly, he released the crystal from his grasp.

"If I'm invisible to your sense of smell, then how did you find me?" she asked, their eyes still locked. It was then she felt a small tug on her shirt.

"Who are you?! Sister, this is a demon! Get away from us, I will kill you for hurting my sister!" Aiko, who had wandered from bed, flayed her arms at the great demon before her, her tiny punches flying with haste. Kaori, mortified, grabbed Aiko in her arms and stumbled backwards, dropping the hunting knife in the process. Sesshomaru looked on, his eyebrows raised.

"It's okay Aiko, it's okay. Don't be afraid. This is Lord Sesshomaru." Kaori hoped that her words of reassurance were warranted. After all, he was traveling through human village just hours earlier and caused no alarm.

"I apologize Lord Sesshomaru, this is my younger sister, Aiko." At that moment, a flicker danced across his eyes, an unrecognizable understanding.

"Lord Sesshomaru? Wait…you're the man that brings Rin all those beautiful gifts! But you're…I don't understand…" Aiko said, mumbling to herself.

"Little one, may I see what's in your left hand?" Sesshomaru asked, stepping forward. Unsure but less afraid than before, Aiko opened her palm, which revealed a small cloth doll.

"Rin gave this to me today…does she want it back? You can take it to her if she misses it…"

Sesshomaru smirked. "Lady Hotoshi, _this_ is how I found you. You must know that it's unlikely you'll be able to hide like this forever."

Kaori lowered her eyes to the ground. "You may call me Kaori, Lord Sesshomaru. I appreciate your concern, but I believe we both realize that I have no other desirable alternatives."

"If that's the case, then you must learn to do better than a common hunter's blade." They held a steady gaze, until quietly he turned from them, leaving as silently as he came.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, as always, I can't wait to read your thoughts! Hope everyone out there has a Merry Christmas!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Hope everyone had a great Christmas! I want to thank those who have reviewed so far, I truly love reading your reviews. They give me much inspiration to keep churning out chapters in a timely manner, haha. Enjoy! ^_^

Lord Sesshomaru left them standing alone in the darkness, his curiosity sated for the moment. Kaori picked up her father's hunting knife from the ground and desperately rubbed the dirt from its blade. With her other hand she grasped Aiko's small palm and guided her back to their home. Like shadows they glided past their sleeping parents and into their own room, where they crawled under the old woven sheets, still shaking from their encounter.

For a few moments they laid there in silence, both unsure of what to say. Finally, Aiko turned over to face her sister, her eyes wide with confusion.

"That demon called you by another name. Why? Why did he do that?"

Kaori sighed, unwilling and unable to explain. She was too young and the story was far too long. Instead, she took her hands and kissed the tops of her fingers reassuringly.

"One day, when you're a little older, I promise I'll tell you. But for now, I need you to promise me that you'll keep what happened tonight between us. This is very important Aiko, I need you to promise me."

Aiko stared at her and leaned in closer, their foreheads touching. "I promise. But Kaori…you're still my sister, right?"

Kaori bit her lip and blinked back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. Tenderly she laid her hand upon the young girl's cheek. "Just remember Aiko, our bond is stronger than the blood in our veins. Nothing, not a name or another face, will ever change that."

The young girl dove further into her embrace, her tiny arms wrapped around her frame. They soon fell asleep, and Aiko dreamed of her questions and curiosities. She envisioned her sister's secrets like a tightly locked box, highly guarded and untouchable. Kaori, however, drifted into a nightmarish rest that she couldn't wake from. For brief moments, her mind flickered images of her blood father and mother, draped in decadent silk and attended by a mass of unwilling slaves. She could hear their voices, could feel their ever present coldness and indifference. Their memories echoed in the halls of her memory, forever present.

* * *

The next morning Kaori was jolted awake by her mother; her hands shaking as she lifted Kaori from the bed, her words a stream of rambling words. Sometime during the night, Haru had nearly faded from the world in his sleep. Although breathing, his body refused to wake, no matter how much he was shook or how loud Anzu cried. Without hesitating, Kaori pulled Motoshi from his comfortable pen and hooked him up to their old cart. Wrapping Haru in an old blanket, she lifted his large frame from the floor, with Anzu providing support. Gently they placed him in the bed of the cart. Aiko climbed into the cart beside him, tears rolling from her eyes.

"Mama, do you want me to grab your covering? The village has more people than you'd think." Anzu violently shook her head and hopped into the driver's seat of the cart, her lips trembling.

"No, if your father can manage to open his eyes once more, he will see my face without shame."

Kaori nodded her head and jumped in beside Aiko. With a snap of the reins, Motoshi trotted towards the village.

* * *

Once they arrived, Kaori directed Anzu to stop at Kagome's dwelling. The young miko was standing just outside her home, speaking with other women in the early morning light. Lacking poise, Kaori leaped from the cart and ran to her, explaining what had happened. Kagome's warm brown eyes filled with worry.

"We need to take him to Kaede, she'll be the one who can help him."

Kagome swiftly led them to the home of the old priestess, who took Haru into her home without hesitation. Despite her generosity, she shook her head when she looked over his rigid body.

"I will do what I can, but he is very close to passing into the other world. This man is young, but he is worn. His spirit seems restless."

Kaori, Aiko and Anzu sat for hours by Kaede's hearth, waiting for a sign of life from Haru's body. Rin sat with Aiko as she cried into her dress. Kaori stepped outside and slid to the ground, her face hidden within her hands. She blamed herself, hated herself for allowing Haru and Anzu to take her away from her unhappy life. If not for her, they could have escaped and never have been all, what was a human slave worth to a daiyoukai?

"Sitting on the ground will do nothing to help, Lady Hoshiko."

Kaori looked up from her palms to see Lord Sesshomaru standing before her, his stance calm and matter-of-fact. Frustrated, she sighed and stood.

"If you have any suggestions, Lord Sesshomaru, I'm open to hear them. I've done everything I can," she said, her teeth grinding against her internalized failure. He said nothing, and simply walked past her and inside. Curiously, she followed.

Inside, Anzu was kneeling over Haru's still body, tears falling from her eyes like a heavy summer rain. She pleaded with him to speak, to respond in any way, but his body did not obey. His breath became shallower and haggard until slowly, all of his movement ceased. Sesshomaru casually walked up beside her and drew his sword, his blade pointing towards Haru's now lifeless form.

"What are you doing?!" Kaori screamed. Rin stood up from comforting Aiko and stopped her, her demeanor calm and assured.

"Let him be. He will not hurt him; he is bringing him back to you, if he can…"

Kaori backed away at Rin's urging and watched as the sword in Sesshomaru's hand pulsed with power. With a large swipe of his blade, the pall-bearers of the underworld were destroyed. Within moments, color returned to Haru's skin and his eyes lit aflame with the warmth of life. Anzu cried with delight and wrapped her arms around her husband. Haru, not realizing that he was ever dead, stared around the room, wondering where he was.

Sheathing his blade, Sesshomaru turned from the man he just saved and began to walk towards the door. Kaori, still in shock from what she witnessed, softly turned her head as Sesshomaru walked past her.

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru…" she muttered, her words gentle and hazy. For a moment he paused, their golden eyes meeting in a mutual gaze.

"Thanking me is not necessary, Kaori…" he replied. Without another word, he turned away and walked out the door.

* * *

Hours later, once Anzu calmed down from her joyous state, she slowly explained to her husband what had occurred. As expected, his eyes widened with worry. He was still too weak to move from the bed in Kaede's home, and there was surely a bounty upon not only his head, but that of Anzu's as well. As for Kaori...it was difficult to say.

"Anzu, you shouldn't have brought me here."

"And what would you have me do?! To just let you die and leave us alone?"

Gently, he took her hand. "We've always known that our road wouldn't be an easy one. We accepted that a long time ago."

"No Haru, we _deserve_ to have a chance at a happy life, just like anyone else."

"My dear, you seem to forget that our actions will ultimately have consequences. I was, and still am, ready to accept them."

Anzu shook her head, her dark brown hair ruffled and scattered across her face. "We did not ask to be slaves Haru."

He squeezed her fingers and carefully lifted them to his lips, placing a light kiss upon each one. "That's enough. Let's talk about this another time."

It was then that Kaede walked over, her eyebrows furrowed in frustration. Her aged bones creaked as she kneeled beside him, her bony fingers lifting his shirt to reveal the crystal necklace around his neck.

"You may need to continue this discussion with your wife, Haru. Lord Sesshomaru may have saved you for now, good sir, but if you continue to wear this, the aura of your life will be drained once more."

Anzu eyes narrowed. "Are you sure about this? We had these made for our protection some years ago."

"Yes, these were made with improper spellbinding. Whoever created these crystals did so incorrectly; this is why your husband has suffered so. His flesh is too weak to withstand it. You too will eventually feel the effects, if you continue to wear this spell around your neck."

Anzu looked towards Aiko and Kaori, her eyes wide. "And my children…will they…be _affected_?" she asked, her throat tightening around the words. Kaede nodded her head.

"Absolutely. Kaori, who is obviously not a normal mortal to keen eyes, has already aged rapidly like a human. She has lost hundreds of years of life. If she continues to wear that spell around her neck, she will die in due time, maybe another thirty years at best. Aiko, however, has much less time. Another few years perhaps."

Anzu placed a trembling hand over her mouth, tears flowing from her eyes. Haru grabbed her other hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

"I'm going to assume that there's a good reason why you've hidden yourselves this way. I won't ask; I don't want to know. However, you need to think about an alternative, because it's not a sustainable solution for whatever problem you may have," Kaede said, her hands clasped firmly together. Haru nodded and thanked her.

Kaori, although sitting some feet away with Aiko, heard the conversation clearly. Instinctively, she grasped at the crystal around her neck. What would she do? Surely, once the spell was lifted, their scent would fill the open air like blood pouring into the sea. And like the prey they were, they would be hunted. 

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Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I look forward to your thoughts and comments, as always!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks so much for all of the wonderful reviews you guys, I really, really appreciate it! That's one thing I really love about the Fanfic community, there's always amazing people around! Enjoy the chapter. ^_^

* * *

Although Haru greatly protested, Anzu decided that it was best that they all remain at Kaede's for the time being, at least until Haru had recovered fully, and a solution had been found to their _unique _problem. While Anzu attended to her husband's needs and helped Kaede with chores as repayment, Kaori spent her hours watching after Aiko and tending to their own home. After all, Motoshi and their two small chicks still needed to be fed, and the rest of their field, still ripe with an abundance of food, needed to be harvested and stored.

Once their small family plot was settled for the upcoming winter, Kaori found herself lingering more and more around the village and its people. Aiko, who'd never been allowed to interact with others, cherished and absorbed the experience. Anzu, who bore the mark of her captors on her face, stayed within the confines of Kaede's home, never stepping outside until the sun had sunk behind the midnight sky.

Kaori waited, somewhat impatiently, for her father to reveal his solution to their problem, yet for weeks he remained in Kaede's home, resting and allowing the priestess to dispense whatever herbal remedies she saw fit. Never before had she seen her father so still in thought and so hesitant in decision. It left Kaori with her hands tied, unsure of what step she should take next.

Since the crops no longer needed attention, Kaori filled her time by supervising Rin and Aiko on their adventures in and around the village. Rin, who was entirely self-sufficient, often chuckled at the idea of Kaori following them around like a buzzing fly. Despite her soft jokes, the young girl seemed to enjoy the extra company, and naturally Aiko knew of nothing else but her sister's constant presence.

Often times when they ventured out, Kaori found herself staring at this kind human child with utter perplexity – what about her had inspired such a dramatic change in Lord Sesshomaru? Curiosity plagued her mind, yet she knew that such empty pondering would yield no answers. Sesshomaru had left right after saving Haru's life, and like Rin had told her, it would be anyone's guess as to when he would return. Like a child harboring a guilty secret, Kaori questioned her need to see him once more. After all, she was nothing to him then and she was certainly nothing to him now.

"Sister, wake from your sleep! Come swim with us!" Aiko called out, her skinny legs knee deep in the calm creek water. Rin, who stood beside her amongst the slow current, cared nothing about getting her dress wet and splashed along carelessly in the tiny waves. Kaori, who was lounging in the shade of a nearby tree, watched the girls from afar. It was likely one of the last warm days they would have before the bitter coolness of winter set in, and Kaori was happy to allow them to enjoy it. Lying back onto the grass with her face towards the sky, she relished the feeling of the soft earth underneath her skin.

"I'm not asleep, I'm just resting my eyes," Kaori retorted meekly, her eyes closed and her voice hazy with slumber. Her dark red hair, normally worn in a low ponytail to cover her conspicuous ears, lay freely entwined within the grass, strewn about carelessly. Of those in the village, only Kaede and Rin knew what she truly was, although she was sure that others suspected, especially Kagome, who often looked at her with kind, yet suspicious eyes.

"What if we drown out here? If you're sleeping how're you supposed to save us?" Aiko replied. Kaori lazily opened one eye and turned her head towards them both.

"Have I not taught you how to swim better than the creatures of the sea? Besides, unless you two plan to get swept away by a minnow, you both should be fine." She replied, turning her face back towards the sky and closing her golden eyes. It had been a long time since her or Aiko had simply enjoyed the peacefulness that surrounded them. Despite the unknowns, Kaori felt a sense of comfort welling up in her soul, creating a well of happiness from which she drew without hesitation. Placing one hand on her stomach and the other on her chest, she allowed the warmth of the sun to soak into her skin and the gentleness of the breeze to sway her into a semi-conscious slumber. She could hear their laughter and constant splashes within her dreams, her senses alert and at rest all at once.

"Lady Kaori…?"

A voice came from above, pulling her from a haze of splendor. Opening her eyes, she met the gaze of Lord Sesshomaru and his somewhat curious stance.

"Oh, hello…" she replied, her face red. Rising up from the ground, she sat up, brushing the leaves and grass from her hair. To her side, she came face to face with an odd-looking green imp holding a two-faced staff.

"Good to know you were just lazing about and not dead! You looked like a still corpse from afar!"

Kaori raised one eyebrow. "Thanks…and just who do I have the pleasure of meeting?" she asked, her voice heavy with disdain.

"I'm Master Jaken! You don't you remember me Lady Hoshiko?! Why, I was with Lord Sesshomaru at the exchange of your dowry goods," he replied, his pride certainly hurt from her lack of memory. Kaori remembered that day clearly, at least the sense of her overriding fear. She was just a child, but the betrothal was considered a massive success for her father, who longed to join to the two dog demon clans. She was not set to be his bride until her maturation was complete and was merely his wife in name only. As expected, she was expected to remain with her parents until then. However, despite this convenient formality, her future seemed etched in stone, entirely unchangeable by her desires or wishes. Pulled from her thoughts, she smirked at the green imp before her.

"My name is Kaori, Master Jaken, and no, I am sorry, but I don't recollect your presence." Looking up, Kaori made eye contact with Sesshomaru.

"Why don't you sit with me? Rin and Aiko will be returning from the water soon, as it's almost dark." Jaken scoffed at her question.

"Lord Sesshomaru has no time to loiter about with you and your kind. We were simply passing through-"

Contrary to Jaken's proclamation, Sesshomaru made no verbal reply, but instead sat down in the shade next to her. The imp's mouth fell open and he tottered off to the side, defeated and deflated. About this time, Rin and Aiko noticed the additional presence and waved in greeting, too eager to finish swimming before the night's fall to stop their play.

They sat there for some time in silence, but Kaori felt no need to search for words unnecessarily. It wasn't as if Sesshomaru was a man of many words, so they rested in the comfort of wordless peace. As the day came to an end, Aiko and Rin ran back from the creek, carrying a very small bucket of freshly caught fish. Although small, the young girls were eager to cook them over a campfire. Employing the help of a reluctant green imp, warm flames soon broiled in the open air. Sesshomaru, although always silent, watched intently as they cooked their food and laughed among the night sky.

"Would you like one, Lord Sesshomaru?" Kaori asked, holding up her cooked fish, which was splayed across a small stick.

Rin spoke up. "Lord Sesshomaru doesn't eat our food. In fact…I don't think I've ever seen him eat at all." Kaori raised an eyebrow, and continued to enjoy her meal.

"Lady Hoshi – I mean Kaori, have you been hiding amongst humans all this time? We all thought you to be dead, taken away by demons or jealous spirits!"

Kaori grimaced, her mouth pressed tightly together. "Oh look Aiko, the fireflies are out. Rin, why don't you show my sister how to catch them in your hands? I have yet to find the time to show her…"

Nodding, the young girl complied. "Of course Lady Kaori. Come Aiko, you too Master Jaken!" Grabbing the imp's hand, Rin and Aiko ran over near the creek bed, where the fireflies swirled amongst the darkness. Sesshomaru sighed.

"His abruptness causes you discomfort?"

"Aiko knows nothing of what I am. I don't want her to know…not yet."

Sesshomaru looked over to her, his curiosity peaked. "Are you ashamed?"

Kaori shook her head. "Not of what I am, but what I've done."

"What shame could you possibly harbor?" he replied, his voice low and flat, his interest barely audible within the inflection of his voice.

"I agreed to leave my home with Haru and Anzu when they ran away to their freedom. They didn't want to see me continue to live the way that I was, but…I was terribly selfish to agree. Had they escaped their slavery without me, their faces would've been forgotten. I should've accepted my fate. Had I done so, I wouldn't, no, _they_ wouldn't, be in this…_situation_."

Sesshomaru made no facial expression in response, and instead continued to stare at the fire in front of them. "Was it our betrothal that made you leave your home?"

Kaori's face flushed, she didn't expect him to ever mention it. Her mind scattered and her tongue searched for the right words. Her pause caused him to turn his head towards her, their eyes meeting.

"It..n-no. It's…it's difficult to explain. It wasn't just one simple matter, but a combination of things. A series of sad and hurtful events that pushed my hand. My parents would have married me to anyone who would've benefited their cause. You were as much of a pawn as I."

"I see," he replied. Slowly, his eyes trailed down to the crystal hanging around her neck. "And what of that? Has a solution been found?"

Kaori shook her head. "No, and Father has been so distant in thought, it's difficult to say what we will do. We cannot remain this way much longer, at least they can't. Kaede has told us that she can create small spells that will somewhat mask our scent, but nothing as powerful as this. We have been blind to their senses for so long, I fear that once these are removed we will be nothing but sheep waiting for the wolves to strike."

"Lord Gorou will certainly send his men looking for you; of this I have no doubt."

"Then you see the impasse that I face. I'd gladly return to my native home, if only I could guarantee their safety. But I'm afraid that this type of arrangement is long past the realm of possibility."

Sesshomaru was silent for some time before speaking again, his eyes returning back to the fire before them. In the distance, they could see Rin and Aiko returning, their arms dragging Jaken along the way. In their last few moments of solitude, Sesshomaru turned to her once more.

"Should you decide to return to your father's home, I will escort you."

Gently, she smiled and nodded. "Thank you Lord Sesshomaru, I'd appreciate that."

* * *

A while later the group walked back into the confines of Kaede's village, with Rin carrying a few extra fish for the old priestess as a gift. Looking outside the door, Kaede laughed when she saw them approach.

"Well, I'm glad to see you've arrived. We were worried something happened out there, it's so late."

"I'm sorry to worry you Kaede, I took Aiko and Rin out to swim today while the air was still warm. We lost track of the hours."

"Yes I can see that, their clothes are blotted with the dirt of the creek bed. Come! Go get washed up girls; Aiko, your mother and father are waiting for you inside."

Kaori placed a brief kiss on Aiko's forehead before she ran inside, following Rin's footsteps. Kaede sighed, her breath heavy.

"Kaori, you're not leaving are you? It's so late; I've told you that you're welcome to stay in my home. There's no need for you to return to your dwelling the middle of nowhere, especially not this far into the evening."

Kaori raised her hand in protest. "No, no, no, I'll be fine. You're kind enough to shelter my family until Father is well, I couldn't impose more on you."

"Nonsense. You're inviting an ill fate by walking home alone on the road alone. Young ladies like you are swept up by the hands of bandits all the time."

"Take Ah-Un. He will get you home." Sesshomaru said, intervening in their conversation. Jaken, eyes wide with surprise, gasped at the thought.

"Milord! Surely you're jesting, Ah-Un is not simply something to be borrowed, especially to a creature so lowly, she's practically human!"

Sesshomaru turned to him, his eyes narrowed. "Get Ah-Un Jaken," he replied, his voice dark and matter-of-fact. Jaken, seeing that his verbal petition was lost on deaf ears, bowed down multiple times as he backed away.

"Y-yes milord! I'm sorry milord! I'll be right back with Ah-Un, just one moment!"

Kaori watched the imp run away, his small form disappearing into the distance. Kaede nodded and smiled. "Well, that's wonderful. That's generous of you Lord Sesshomaru."

Kaori looked over to him, her eyes cast to the ground. "Yes, thank you."

"It is nothing. I will retrieve him in the morning."

Kaori nodded, and just about then a large two-headed dragon came bursting from the dark sky, eager and willing to serve its master. After mounting the unusual creature and saying her farewells, Kaori easily guided the beast to her own home a few miles away. Never having ridden a beast that glided through the air, Kaori was mystified and amazed to see the world from above. She nearly regretted the moment when she had to land, returning her to the ground below.

"Thank you Ah-Un. Feel free to nibble on as much grass as you please. Motoshi certainly cannot eat it all." Her gentle and loyal ox, who'd been left to graze in their small pasture all day, stared in fear at the great yokai before him. Gently she patted him on the back; her face leaned up against his neck.

"It's okay boy, don't be frightened. They are friendly." Motoshi, however, wasn't convinced of her words, and promptly trotted towards the pasture gate, ready to be let into the safety of his pen. Kaori giggled and obliged him his wish.

Upon walking into her home, she became overwhelmed with the sheer silence that invaded the spaces of the empty walls. She still had not grown used to sleeping alone without the warmth of Aiko and the constant presence of her parents. Pulling the tie from her hair, she collapsed onto the tatami mat in her room, too tired to cover her frame with the blankets around her.

* * *

The next morning Kaori allowed herself to rest as long as she pleased. Sleeping in was not her usual habit, but her muscles felt expended, her bones brittle with worry and exhaustion. Rising from her bed, she brushed the knots from her hair but left it down. Dressing in a dark blue kosode, she walked from her room in a daze of contentment. Stepping outside, she saw Ah-Un resting out in the morning sun, with Motoshi completely hidden away in his pen, happy to be inconspicuous.

"I see that you're finally awake."

Startled, Kaori turned to see Sesshomaru leaning against the north wall of her home.

"I didn't see you there. Are you here to retrieve Ah-Un?"

"Yes, and to leave this here." Gesturing with his hand, he pointed towards the pasture, past Ah-Un and into the distance. Walking towards the fence, Sesshomaru uttered a single command.

"Come."

From the center of the pasture came a beautiful creature, similar to that of a horse but much larger. With hooves bigger than the head of a grown human and fangs that protruded on either side of its mouth, it appeared fearsome, yet regal. The creature was as black as the night sky, with a mane of silky black hair that fell to its broad chest. An elegant saddle sat upon its back with an even more ornate bridle made of the darkest of leather. The creature galloped to them at full speed until it was a few feet away from the gate, when it slowed down to a trot. Slowly, the creature approached the gate, which Kaori opened with hesitation.

"It is a beast of burden, you may take him."

Amazed, Kaori reached her hand out to stroke the handsome animal, and the creature did not flinch or appear fearful.

"What is its name?"

"He doesn't have one. You may name him, if you so choose."

Thankful, Kaori turned to face Sesshomaru. "Why give him to me? I have Motoshi…"

"An ox is good for plowing the field, not traveling through the sky. Most daiyoukai have a loyal vassal; he can be yours."

"I appreciate your generosity, Lord Sesshomaru."

"It is nothing. I'm leaving, but I will see you again soon, Lady Kaori. Until then, farewell."

As usual, he left no time for her to vocalize her own goodbye. Soon he disappeared into the wooded forest, past the confines of their empty fields and hollow pasture, Ah-Un following close behind. Turning to the immense creature standing before her, she stared into its dark eyes.

"You're free to leave, if you wish. I would be honored for you to stay with me, but I want it to be of your own choosing."

The beast stood before her and stepped forward, its throat bellowing a warm, almost cheerful tone. She smiled and stroked his muzzle. Turning to the pen where Motoshi was kept she noticed the ox peering over the door of his confines, his eyes wider than before.

"It's okay Motoshi," she called out. "…I promise he won't eat you." The ox made no audible sound, but instead turned around in his pen, not caring to look at his master any longer. Gently, she patted the beast beside her. "Don't take it personally; he'll warm up to you eventually." The creature grunted and bent his head to the ground, chewing on the grass below. Petting the beast one last time, she closed the gate and walked back towards her home, her arms crossed against the briskness of the morning air.

Stopping just before she stepped inside, Kaori looked off into the distance, hoping to see one last glimpse of Sesshomaru. Realizing he was truly gone, she silently cursed the retched void she felt in his absence.

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Hope you enjoyed this chapter! As always, can't wait to read your thoughts and reviews. ^_^


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